Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Hinkley Point C Power Station: China

Lord West of Spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Callananon 30 June (HL1218), what assessment they have made of the risks of issues at the Taishan nuclean power plant in China delaying the start-up of Hinkley Point C.

Lord Callanan: The Government understands that the inspections at Taishan are ongoing. The Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) remains in contact with the Chinese, French and Finnish regulators on this issue. The ONR will ensure that the developer of Hinkley Point C considers and addresses the learning from Taishan.

Iron and Steel: Hydrogen

Lord Haworth: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support trials of manufacturing steel with hydrogen.

Lord Callanan: The Department is working with the steel sector, via the Steel Council, to explore how to create a competitive, sustainable, and low carbon future for the sector. Hydrogen-based steelmaking is one of the technological approaches being examined as part of this process. The UK steel sector can bid into industrial fuel switching innovation programmes under the Net Zero Innovation Portfolio (NZIP), which is intended to promote switching away from more carbon-intensive fuel sources. The Government has also set up the Industrial Decarbonisation and Hydrogen Revenue Support scheme to fund new hydrogen and industrial carbon capture business models. The scheme will be open to businesses across industry, including steel companies.

Clean Steel Fund

Lord West of Spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to bring forward the Clean Steel Fund, which is due to begin in 2023.

Lord Callanan: As my Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State stated in his evidence to the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Select Committee on 20 July 2021, the Government is keen to have a more sustainable, long-term approach to the sector. The Department is continuing to work with the sector through the Steel Council to understand how the industry achieves decarbonisation and what support is appropriate and proportionate to assist with that.

Department of Health and Social Care

Patient Safety Commissioner: Public Appointments

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have touse consultants in the process of appointing the new Patient Safety Commissioner; and whether they will make any such involvement public.

Lord Kamall: We have no plans to use executive search consultants in appointing the Patient Safety Commissioner.

Embryos

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Kamall on 16 November (HL3662), how performance of pronuclear transfer in mice might remain a reliable predictor of its efficacy in humans; and to what extent the physiopathological or genetic variation between human patients is greater than the physiological or genetic differences between humans and mice.

Lord Kamall: The Department and the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority do not hold recent information on whether pronuclear transfer in mice remains a reliable predictor of its efficacy in humans nor on the extent that physiopathological or genetic variation between human patients is greater than the physiological or genetic differences between humans and mice.

NHS: Negligence

Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the largest clinical negligence claim that has been paid in England.

Lord Kamall: NHS Resolution has advised that the largest clinical negligence claim that has been settled in England was for a capitalised sum of £37 million in November 2019. This was awarded to a young child left brain damaged at birth. It was settled on the basis of payment of a lump sum plus annual periodic payments for the rest of the claimant’s life.

Coronavirus: Protective Clothing

Lord Rooker: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to update Table A in their COVID-19 guidance 'Personal protective equipment (PPE) made in the UK as at 1 December 2020', published on 9 March, to set out the UK-made items of PPE compared to expected demand.

Lord Kamall: Personal protective equipment (PPE) made in the UK as at 1 December 2020 reported on the delivery of a specific commitment to ensure that UK Make supply would be sufficient to meet 70% of demand for the coming winter, for all items except gloves, by 1 December 2020. The table referred to reports on that commitment and confirms that it was met therefore there are no plans to update or modify it. In practice, we found that UK Make supply met 82% of the demand for that period.

Accident and Emergency Departments: Admissions

Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by the Royal College of Emergency MedicineCrowding and its Consequences, published on 18 November, which found that there were 4,519 excess deaths in Emergency Departments in England during 2020–21 as a result of crowding and long stays.

Lord Kamall: No such assessment has been made.NHS England and NHS Improvement have led detailed operational level winter planning with providers, regions and stakeholders, with actions for systems to support improved emergency care performance and patient flow through hospital, supported by £5.4 billion of additional funding. A new Urgent and Emergency Care Recovery Unit will coordinate support for the most challenged systems and £478 million has been allocated for the enhanced patient discharge programme, to increase bed capacity and reduce crowding in accident and emergency departments.

NHS: Negligence

Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to reduce the costs of clinical negligence.

Lord Kamall: In 2017, the National Audit Office identified three areas of rising clinical negligence costs over the previous decade: claim volume, compensation awards and claimant legal costs. However, since then claim volume and claimant legal costs have levelled out, but overall costs have continued to increase due to payments for compensation.The Department is therefore working with the Ministry of Justice, other Government departments and NHS Resolution to address these issues. This is a complex area and the work is ongoing. In the 2020 Spending Review, the Government committed to publishing a consultation.

NHS: Protective Clothing

Lord Rooker: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to purchase UK-made biodegradable PPE products as opposed to single use plastic products.

Lord Kamall: The Department has investigated biodegradable personal protective equipment (PPE) from United Kingdom and overseas suppliers. However, waste stream channels from health and social care settings do not facilitate the separation of these products, unless they have been used for non-healthcare functions, such as catering. Most biodegradable products are single use and contribute to the environmental impacts from excessive manufacture, transportation and storage. Therefore, biodegradable products are not the most effective solution for single use health care infected PPE. The Department is exploring reusable products for Type IIR masks, eye protection and transparent masks.

Immunotherapy: Procurement

Lord Mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government why they have not yet appointed a supplier of immunoglobulin products; and when they expect to have completed the tender process.

Lord Mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they expect patients to receive treatment with products made from UK plasma.

Lord Kamall: The Department, NHS Blood and Transplant and NHS England and NHS Improvement are working to create a long-term domestic supply of plasma in England which can be used to manufacture immunoglobulins. The tender notice is due to be issued early 2022, with the aim of appointing a fractionator during that year.The production of medicines is complex and highly regulated and materials and processes must meet rigorous safety and quality standards. Subject to the necessary regulatory approvals, we expect United Kingdom plasma sourced immunoglobulins to be available to National Health Service patients in 2024.

General Practitioners: Recruitment

Lord Watts: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the reply byLord Kamall on 16 November (HL Deb, cols. 158–160), whether they expect to meet their target to increase the number of GPs by 6000 by 2024.

Lord Kamall: While progress against the target to increase the number of doctors in general practice by 6,000 by 2024 has been challenging, we remain committed to increasing the general practitioner (GP) workforce as soon as possible. In September 2021, there were 1,841 more full time equivalent doctors in general practice than September 2019 - a headcount increase of 2,634.We are working with NHS England and NHS Improvement, Health Education England and the profession to increase recruitment, address the reasons why doctors leave the profession and encourage them to return to practice. We have increased the number of GP training places with 4,000 doctors accepting a place this year, from 2,671 in 2014.

Children: Protection

Lord Walney: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Kamall on 17 November (HL3974), how many unborn children have been placed on the Child Protection Information sharing system using the pregnant woman’s National Health Service number.

Lord Kamall: The information is not available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Supported Housing: Older People

Lord Blunkett: To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the commitments made inPeople at the Heart of Care: adult social care reform white paper, published on 1 December, what plans they have to set out a strategy to increase the supply of supported housing for older people.

Lord Kamall: We will continue to incentivise the supply of supported housing for older and disabled people through the Care and Support Specialised Housing Fund, with £213 million available over the next three years. This is alongside a new £300 million investment to connect housing with health and care and increase the stock of new supported housing.We are working closely with stakeholders private and social sectors to inform future cross-Government action to stimulate a specialist housing market that delivers effectively. We will work in partnership with local authorities, housing providers and others to design our new investment and will share further detail with interested parties as this work develops.

Social Services: Pay

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to boost care worker pay in the short term amid existing staff shortages due to COVID-19.

Lord Kamall: The vast majority of care workers are employed by private sector providers who ultimately set their pay and renumeration, independent of central Government.However, we recognise the challenges that providers and local authorities are currently experiencing in recruiting and retaining social care workers. To provide additional support to the sector over the winter, on 21 October we announced a new £162.5 million Workforce Recruitment and Retention Fund. We expect local authorities to work closely with care providers on how this funding is spent, which may include incentive and retention payments.

Social Services: Catering

Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made, if any, of the number of people receiving social care who follow a non-meat diet; and what steps they are taking to ensure that such people are given meat-free meals.

Lord Kamall: No estimate has been made of the number of people receiving social care who follow a non-meat diet. Local authorities should facilitate the personalisation of care and support services in line with their duties under the Care Act 2014. This includes encouraging services to enable people to make meaningful choices and to take control over the way their care is planned and delivered, based on their individual needs and what matters most to them. This may include dietary requirements and preferences where appropriate.

Electric Scooters: Injuries

Lord Blencathra: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made, if any, of increases in the number of patients needing surgery following incidents involving e-scooters.

Lord Kamall: No such assessment has been made as this data is not collected centrally.

NHS: Coronavirus

Lord Blencathra: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to bring forward the date for requiring all NHS staff to be vaccinated against COVID-19; and, in particular, to dismiss any staff who have had the opportunity to be fully vaccinated but have declined to do so by 25 December.

Lord Kamall: The Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) (Amendment) (Coronavirus) (No.2) Regulations 2021 provide for a twelve-week grace period including the time needed for currently unvaccinated workers to receive a complete primary course of vaccine. There are no plans to change this date. We encourage all health and social care workers to receive the vaccine to protect the people they care for, themselves and their colleagues.

Hospital Wards: Females

Lord Blencathra: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers byLord Kamall on 19 October 2021 (HL2901 and HL2902), what plans they have to issue instructions toNHS trusts that women who request accommodation in single-sex wards should not be described or categorised as transphobic; and whether they intend to collect the information specified in relation to NHS trusts which have directed accusations of transphobia to patients.

Lord Kamall: NHS England and NHS Improvement are currently reviewing guidance to ensure that it remains focused on privacy and dignity for all patients. The content of this guidance will be determined through consultation with a wide range of stakeholders. The Department has no plans to collect information on National Health Service trusts that have allegedly accused women who request accommodation in single-sex wards of transphobia.

NHS: Protective Clothing

Lord Rooker: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to their response to the Forty-Second report of the Public Accounts Committee 2019–21 on 28 April, what steps they will take to incentivise the NHS Supply Chain to buy PPE which is made in the UK.

Lord Kamall: NHS Supply Chain is working with 30 United Kingdom manufacturers to build resilience within the manufacture of personal protective equipment. This also includes addressing innovation, sustainability and fit testing of masks for the National Health Service and social care.

NHS: Coronavirus

Lord Blencathra: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure non-frontline NHS staff who are not subject to mandatory vaccination requirements do not present a COVID-19 infection risk in areas of healthcare settings where patients are present; and which NHS occupations which are deemed to be 'non-frontline' and thus not subject to mandatory vaccination requirements.

Lord Kamall: The vaccination requirements apply if a worker has direct face to face contact with service users as part of the provision of a regulated activity. This is not dependent on occupation. Existing measures, communications and guidance for all employees on how to mitigate the risk of transmission in the workplace will continue alongside the regulatory requirements.

NHS: Coronavirus

Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the importance of NHS staff having COVID-19 vaccinations; and what steps are they taking in response.

Lord Kamall: In response to public consultation, the Government has set out its view that COVID-19 vaccination requirements are important in protecting National Health Service staff, their colleagues and the patients they care for. The Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) (Amendment) (Coronavirus) Regulations 2021 will implement vaccination as a condition of deployment for health and wider social care services.

West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust

Baroness Thornhill: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the re-development of the West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust’s plans for improvements at (1) Watford, (2) Hemel Hempstead, and (3) St Albans, have been paused; and so, what are the (a) reasons, and (b) rationale, for this pause.

Lord Kamall: The overall delivery of the new hospital scheme has not been paused. We continue to work with West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust and all hospitals in the programme.

NHS: Coronavirus

Lord Naseby: To ask Her Majesty's Government why all new starters to the NHS do not have to meet the same vaccination conditions as in the social care sector.

Lord Kamall: The Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) (Amendment) (Coronavirus) (No.2) Regulations 2021, were laid on 9 November. These draft regulations would amend the previously made care home regulations to ensure a consistent approach to vaccination requirements for new employees deployed to undertake Care Quality Commission regulated activities in health and social care.

Travel: Coronavirus

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to reintroduce pre-departure COVID-19 tests for those travelling to the UK.

Lord Kamall: Following a review of the spread of the Omicron variant of concern, from 7 December 2021 all travellers, regardless of vaccination status, are required to take a pre-departure test two days before their departure to England. This supports our existing measures to protect the United Kingdom against further importation of cases.

Immunosuppression: Coronavirus

Lord Mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the benefits of testing the antibodylevels of immunosuppressed or immunocompromised individuals given the spread of the Omicron variant of COVID-19.

Lord Kamall: There are currently no plans to implement targeted antibody testing for immunocompromised patients. However, clinicians in the National Health Service can arrange antibody testing based on their assessment of clinical need. Those with a cancer diagnosis may also be able to access free antibody tests through the National Cancer COVID Survey, which aims to assess levels of protection conferred by antibodies following vaccination/infection in cancer patients.  The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation will continue to review emerging scientific evidence on the use of vaccines in those who are immunocompromised and will update its advice as necessary.

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Lord Mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to monitor (1) immunocompromised patients' antibody levels, and (2) their variation over time, in response to the rollout of the third primary dose vaccination.

Lord Kamall: The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is monitoring the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccinations in clinical risk groups, including those with immunosuppression. The VirusWatch study monitors antibody response over time following COVID-19 vaccination, including the third primary dose, among individuals with immunosuppression.As part of the COVID-19 Immunity National Core Study, the UK Research and Innovation OCTAVE study is examining the immune response to COVID-19 vaccines in clinically at-risk groups. This includes vaccine responses in patients with certain immunosuppressed conditions. These analyses will monitor the duration of immunity from COVID-19 vaccination.

Coronavirus: Screening

Lord Naseby: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to set a maximum retail price for PCR COVID-19 tests, in addition to the standards for such tests.

Lord Kamall: While there are no plans to introduce a cap on the price of such tests, we are committed to working with private testing providers to reduce the cost of testing.

Coronavirus: Protective Clothing

Lord Patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment theyhave made of the effects on public health of levels of face coverings worn on public transport.

Lord Kamall: From 30 November, face coverings are mandatory in shops, on public transport and in transport hubs in England. The UK Health Security Agency has reviewed the latest available evidence on the effectiveness of face coverings, which suggests that face coverings reduce the spread of COVID-19 in the community.The Scientific Advice Group for Emergencies has also reviewed evidence which shows that the effectiveness of face coverings in reducing transmission is dependent on the proportion and frequency of face covering wearing within the population. The wider and more frequent the use, the more likely it is that an infected person will be wearing a face covering when they are sharing an environment with others.

Immunotherapy

Lord Mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many challenges have been made to the sub-regional immunoglobulin assessment panels in the last year concerning access to immunoglobulin therapy; and how many decisions have been overturned.

Lord Kamall: The information requested is not held centrally. Clinical decision-making information is held by the relevant provider organisation hosting the panels.

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Lord Moonie: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to include information from their online guidance Myocarditis and pericarditis after COVID-19 vaccination: guidance for healthcare professionals, published 29 November, on consent forms for 12 to 15 year old children.

Lord Kamall: The UK Health Security Agency’s COVID-19 vaccination consent form for children and young people or parents and carers is part of a suite of materials, including an easy to read patient information leaflet, to assist an individual in making their decision about acceptance of vaccination. There are no plans to include information on the potential risks of the vaccine in the consent form, as this is available in the accompanying easy-read leaflet and importance is placed on making the consent form as accessible as possible.

Strokes: Females

Baroness Hodgson of Abinger: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports of cerebral haemorrhagein UK women (1) below 60, and (2) 60 and above, and their link to the (a) Astra Zeneca COVID-19 vaccination, and (b) Pfizer COVID-19 vaccination.

Lord Kamall: The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has monitored suspected reports of cerebral haemorrhage and thrombosis following COVID-19 vaccination. No direct association between reports of cerebral haemorrhage and the AstraZeneca or Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines has been identified in women or men aged either above or below 60 years old. However, a review of reports of specific types of blood clot in cerebral veins, occurring with low platelets concluded that a link with AstraZeneca vaccine is likely. Cerebral hemorrhage may occur because of these events. No link has been identified with the Pfizer vaccine.There is some evidence that the reported incidence rate of these blood clots is slightly higher in females compared to men, although this is not seen across all age groups. A higher reported incidence rate is seen in younger adult age groups following the first dose compared to the older groups at 21.1 per million doses in those aged 18 to 49 years old and 11.0 per million doses in those aged 50 years old and over. There does not appear to be an increased risk following the second dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine. The advice remains that the benefits of the COVID-19 vaccines outweigh the risks for the majority of people.

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Lord Birt: To ask Her Majesty's Government when the NHS app will (1) record the date a COVID-19 booster vaccine has been administered, and (2) specify the type of COVID-19 vaccine used, with equal prominence to the first and second vaccinations.

Lord Kamall: Booster and third dose COVID-19 vaccinations are visible within the NHS COVID Pass through the NHS App and NHS.UK. The record includes information about the vaccine used and the date it was administered. The booster record can be found in the NHS COVID Pass for travel and the domestic pass. Boosters and third doses are displayed first, followed by an individual's first and second vaccinations.

Travel: Coronavirus

Lord Tyrie: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many suppliers of COVID-19 PCR tests for travel are listed on gov.uk.

Lord Kamall: As of 9 December, there are 555 providers listed.

Travel: Coronavirus

Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to make COVID-19 PCR tests free in order to ease the travel expense burden on families.

Lord Kamall: We have no plans to provide free tests for international travel. Free National Health Service tests cannot be used for travel in order to preserve testing capacity and protect public health. We are committed to working with private testing providers to reduce the cost of testing. Since international travel testing requirements were introduced, the average cost of a day two polymerase chain reaction test has decreased to £45.We have also reduced the cost of NHS Test and Trace tests for international arrivals from £88 to £68 for fully vaccinated arrivals and from £170 to £136 for two tests for arrivals who are not fully vaccinated. For United Kingdom residents or individuals with residency rights who would suffer severe financial hardship by paying the full cost of their managed quarantine or testing fees before they travel, hardship arrangements may be available.

Coronavirus: Screening

Baroness Randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Kamall on 15 November (HL3205), how many companies have had their application to be listed as approved providers of COVID-19 PCR tests rejected; and how many approved providers have been subject to review based on complaints.

Lord Kamall: We do not hold data on the number of providers rejected for COVID-19 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests. Accreditation is managed by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS). Data on the number of providers listed on GOV.UK subject to a review specifically based upon complaints is not held. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) supports private providers by encouraging best practice and improving compliance. The UKHSA conducts regular spot checks to ensure providers have met the conditions for selling COVID-19 tests and are meeting minimum standards.Where the UKHSA becomes aware that a provider is no longer meeting the minimum standards or that the provider’s activities may risk public safety, it will require the provider to undertake remedial action. The UKHSA may remove a provider’s listing whilst remedial action is being undertaken.

Travel: Quarantine

Baroness Sherlock: To ask Her Majesty's Government what support is available to British residents returning to the UK who face a requirement which had not been in place when they left the UK to quarantine in a hotel on public health grounds but who lack the financial resources to pay for the hotel.

Lord Kamall: Where British residents returning to the United Kingdom from a ‘red list’ country believe they will suffer severe financial hardship as a result of paying the full cost of managed quarantine in advance, they may qualify for hardship arrangements. This includes repayment plans, where the fees are repaid in monthly instalments and in exceptional circumstances, fee reductions and waivers may be granted.

Oral Tobacco

Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government why they maintain a ban on snus products.

Lord Kamall: Consumption of any tobacco product is harmful and it is the Government’s policy to support people to quit all forms of tobacco use. Oral tobacco, or snus, is banned in the United Kingdom under the Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016.There is limited data on the health risks posed to smokers who switch to snus products. Evidence submitted on snus to the United States Food and Drug Administration states that there are still health risks involved with the use of snus. Although snus products contain significantly lower levels of harmful carcinogens than other smokeless tobacco products, the products contain nitrosamines, including NNN and NNK, which have been demonstrated to cause cancer, including cancers of the mouth. A copy of this evidence, Modified Risk Tobacco Product (MRTP) ApplicationTechnical Project Lead (TPL) Review, is attached.Health risks of Scandinavian snus consumption (English summary) from Norway shows that tobacco products such as oral tobacco contains carcinogenic substances which are associated with a number of adverse health effects. This is regardless of whether the individual is a smoker or not. A copy of this summary is attached.Health risks of Scandinavian snus consumption  (pdf, 894.9KB)Modified Risk Tobacco Product (MRTP) ApplicationTe (pdf, 5372.8KB)Modified Risk Tobacco Product Application (MRTPA) (pdf, 1540.3KB)

Oral Tobacco: Health Hazards

Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what evidence that they have, if any, which identifies the health risks posed to smokers who switch to snus products.

Lord Kamall: Consumption of any tobacco product is harmful and it is the Government’s policy to support people to quit all forms of tobacco use. Oral tobacco, or snus, is banned in the United Kingdom under the Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016.There is limited data on the health risks posed to smokers who switch to snus products. Evidence submitted on snus to the United States Food and Drug Administration states that there are still health risks involved with the use of snus. Although snus products contain significantly lower levels of harmful carcinogens than other smokeless tobacco products, the products contain nitrosamines, including NNN and NNK, which have been demonstrated to cause cancer, including cancers of the mouth. A copy of this evidence, Modified Risk Tobacco Product (MRTP) ApplicationTechnical Project Lead (TPL) Review, is attached.Health risks of Scandinavian snus consumption (English summary) from Norway shows that tobacco products such as oral tobacco contains carcinogenic substances which are associated with a number of adverse health effects. This is regardless of whether the individual is a smoker or not. A copy of this summary is attached.Health risks of Scandinavian snus consumption  (pdf, 894.9KB)Modified Risk Tobacco Product (MRTP) ApplicationTe (pdf, 5372.8KB)Modified Risk Tobacco Product Application (MRTPA) (pdf, 1540.3KB)

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Economic Situation: Equality

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the policies of (1) Brazil, (2) France, (3) Denmark, and (4) Bolivia, towards reducing economic inequalities; and what steps they plan to take on the basis of such assessment.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The UK monitors the economic situation in many countries around the world, including economic inequalities, and related policy measures.Notwithstanding recent gains, Brazil has one of the world's most unequal income distributions as measured by the Gini index. Since its creation in 2003, Brazil's largest welfare cash-transfer programme, Bolsa Familia, has lifted 3.4 million people out of extreme poverty, and brought 3.2 million above the poverty line. During the pandemic, the Brazilian Government spent approximately 4% of GDP to reach almost 70 million vulnerable citizens with direct cash transfers. It now aims to reform and expand Bolsa Familia. A UK-World Bank project is assessing how emergency aid was provided, and how social protection responses can be improved.The UK and France work closely across the G7, UN, and elsewhere, to reduce economic inequality around the world. In their bilateral meeting on 12 December, the Foreign Secretary agreed with French Foreign Minister Le Drian on the importance of deepening economic ties with allies, and working together to boost economic growth in low-] and middle-income countries. As likeminded partners, the UK and Denmark also regularly share best practice on issues of shared interest. The UK recognises Denmark's fiscal equalisation mechanism, which helps reduce economic inequalities between regions.Bolivia has made significant gains on inequality in the past 20 years, with its Gini index dropping from 61.6 to 41.6. This was in large part due to a commodities boom, which allowed the Government fiscal space to initiate cash transfers to the poorest in society, and increase investment in public infrastructure. The middle class doubled between 2007 and 2017 (from 13.4% to 28.3% of the population), and the poverty rate fell from 64.5% to 39.3%. The UK continues to work with the Bolivian Government on a range of areas, including trade, investment, and tourism.

Russia: Ukraine

The Marquess of Lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the government of Russia regarding the UK's and NATO's response to the Russian military build-up near Ukraine's borders and to communicate the danger of further escalation.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: We are deeply concerned by the pattern of Russian military build-ups on the borders of Ukraine and in illegally-annexed Crimea, and we are monitoring the situation closely. We have been clear with Russia that any military incursion into Ukraine would be a strategic mistake and result in severe economic and diplomatic consequences.The Prime Minister spoke to President Putin on 25 October and again on 13 December. He reaffirmed the UK's support for Ukrainian sovereignty and territorial integrity and urged the Russian government to de-escalate the situation. The Foreign Secretary met with Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov on 2 December and delivered these same messages.British Embassy Moscow have also raised our concerns with the Russian authorities, most recently on 9 December.

Mikheil Saakashvili

Lord Harries of Pentregarth: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they are making to the government of Georgia regarding the continued imprisonment of the former President of that country, Mikheil Saakashvili.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: We are following former President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili's arrest and imprisonment closely. Her Majesty's Ambassador to Georgia discussed Mr Saakashvili's detention with the Speaker of the Georgian Parliament on 15 October, and our Deputy Head of Mission highlighted our concerns with the Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs on 11 November. Senior Officials further raised Mr Saakashvili's treatment with the Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 1 December in Tbilisi. We were pleased that Mr Saakashvili ended his hunger strike on 20 November and agreed to receive medical treatment at a military hospital. It is important that Mr Saakashvili receives treatment in line with international human rights standards, and that any further hearings are in line with the rule of law and due process.We will continue to monitor developments around Mr Saakashvili closely in the future.

Egypt: Christianity

Lord Patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of freedom of religion and belief for Coptic Christians in Egypt; and whether they have discussed the situation with the government of Egypt.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The Government of Egypt has stated its commitment to protecting the rights of Coptic Christians and freedom of worship, and the Egyptian constitution contains protection for freedom of religious belief. We have been encouraged by the positive steps the Government of Egypt has taken in recent years, including President Sisi's public commitments, to uphold the rights of minorities and freedom of worship. There has also been a number of protections for freedom of religion enshrined in Egypt's constitution and the Middle East's largest cathedral was opened in Egypt in 2019. The Prime Minister and President Sisi have discussed the importance of protecting freedom of religion and belief, most recently during their meeting in Glasgow on 1 November.

Ministry of Defence

Type 31 Frigates: Procurement

Lord West of Spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many countries have committed to acquiring the Type 31 frigate; how many frigates has each country ordered; whether the expected level of acquisitions has led to a drop in the unit price; and whether will this affect the in-service dates of ships planned for the Royal Navy.

Baroness Goldie: The design of the Type 31 frigate (marketed as Arrowhead 140) has been exported under licence to Indonesia by Babcock International and two vessels will be built in an Indonesian shipyard.We do not comment on unit pricing for reasons of commercial sensitivity. There will be no impact on in-service dates for the Royal Navy Type 31 frigates.

Submarines: Iron and Steel

Lord West of Spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government when the UK lasthad the steel production capability to supply all the types of steel necessary for the deterrent submarine programme; and what steps they plan to take to re-establish that capability.

Baroness Goldie: United Kingdom (UK) submarine steel requirements continue to be sourced by our prime contractors from a range of UK and international suppliers. This reflects the need to source specific grades of steel, not all of which are available in the UK, and ensures competitive procurement in terms of cost, time and quality. The types of steel produced in the UK is a commercial decision for our steel manufacturers.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Plants: Imports

Baroness Fookes: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the horticulture sector to ensure that the delayed introduction of the Import of Products, Animals, Food and Feed System (IPAFFS) for plant import pre-notification is suitable for the industry’s requirements.

Lord Benyon: We have regular engagement with key stakeholders and membership groups representing the horticulture sector to understand and manage implications of the introduction of the new Import of Products, Animals, Food and Feed System (IPAFFS) service. Officials have held a number of IPAFFS briefings and walkthrough sessions during May and June 2021 which received positive and valuable feedback. The purpose of these sessions has been to introduce the IPAFFS service to trade who may not have had the benefit of seeing it in advance. Further training sessions are planned and will be communicated with trade. Business readiness teams have developed guidance materials and videos to support trade with their transition to the new service, as well as working with the Animal and Plant Health Agency to answer all of the questions and queries trade have raised about the service.

Plants: Imports

Baroness Fookes: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of delays to the introduction of the Import of Products, Animals, Food and Feed system (IPAFFS) for plant import pre-notification on the horticultural sector.

Lord Benyon: The IT systems used to facilitate the prenotification of imports of plants and plant products will be changing, moving from the current PEACH system to a new Import of Products, Animals, Food and Feed system (IPAFFS). We are managing the impact on trade by phasing in the introduction of the new IT system in stages. From 1 January 2022, traders who are prenotifying plants and plant products for the first time will be required to do so on the new IPAFFS service. Importers who are using and registered for PEACH should continue to use that system until instructed to move over to IPAFFS. All existing and new IT services have undergone intense scrutiny and stress testing to ensure they can cope with the increased volumes of plant imports and exports transactions since the end of the transition period. Businesses trading in ‘high-priority’ plants (those regulated since 1 January 2021) from the EU have joined thousands of other businesses who have successfully used PEACH and eDomero for nearly two decades to trade with non-EU countries. The Early Adopter phase of the plant health IT service (IPAFFS) started in August 2021. Nominated traders were invited as some of our initial users in this first phase. The wider transition of trade will continue during the rest of 2021. PEACH will continue to be accessible and live throughout this period of transition, as previously agreed with traders. Officials held a number of IPAFFS briefings and walkthrough sessions throughout May and June 2021 which received positive and valuable feedback. The purpose of these sessions has been to introduce the IPAFFS service to trade who may not have had the benefit of seeing it in advance. Further training sessions are planned and will be communicated with trade. Business readiness teams have developed guidance materials and videos to support trade with their transition to the new service, as well as working with the Animal and Plant Health Agency to answer all of the questions and queries trade have raised about the service.

Home Office

Metropolitan Police: Electric Scooters

Lord Blencathra: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they plan to have, if any, with the Metropolitan Police following their announced decision not to confiscate illegal e-scooters; and what assessment have they made of the potential extra injuries caused to pedestrians from increased e-scooter criminal usage.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: Enforcement of road traffic law is an operational matter for Chief Officers who will take account of local problems and demands. The police are operationally independent of Government. In September 2021, the Government published the factsheet ‘Reported road casualties Great Britain: e-scooter factsheet 2020’ that, using data collected in 2020, examines the main trends in collisions involving e-scooters and the casualties that were involved. The Government is working with the National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) to explore options to reduce the illegal e-scooter use. We will continue to support the police to ensure they have the tools needed to enforce road traffic legislation including those relating to electric scooters.

Council of Europe Convention On Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence

Baroness Gale: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they will ratify the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The UK signed the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (Istanbul Convention) in 2012, signalling our strong commitment to tackling violence against women and girls. This Government remains committed to ratifying the Convention as soon as possible and this commitment was reiterated in the new Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Strategy, published in July. The Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence (Ratification of Convention) Act 2017 requires Ministers to publish annual reports on their progress towards being able to ratify the Convention. The fifth such report was published on 1 November and can be found on gov.uk. Once the Government is satisfied that the UK is compliant with the Convention then Ministers will, in line with section 1(3) of the 2017 Act, make a statement to Parliament confirming this and setting out the timetable for ratification.

Places of Worship Security Funding Scheme

Lord Harris of Haringey: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much money was allocated to the Places of Worship: protective security funding scheme in each of the years since it was announced; how much money was spent in each of the years since it was announced; how many applications for funding were received in each of those years; and how many of those applications were successful in full or in part.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The Places of Worship Protective Security Funding Scheme is available in England and Wales. For the 2021/2022 round, £3.5 million was announced. Applications closed on 16th July, and applicants will be informed of the outcome of their application in due course.For the first three years of the scheme £2.4 million was announced over three years; with £800,000 available each year.For the 2016/2017 round we received 286 eligible applications for funding, of which 53 were successful, and we allocated £435,466.For the 2017/2018 round we received 57 eligible applications for funding, of which 36 were successful, and we allocated £440,203.For the 2018/2019 round we received 88 eligible applications for funding, of which 45 were successful, and we allocated £806,281.For the 2019/2020 round, £1.6 million was announced. We received 376 eligible applications, of which 49 were successful, and we allocated £1,718,763.For the 2020/2021 round, £3.2 million was announced. We received 243 eligible applications, of which 58 were successful, and we allocated £1,704,237.All successful applicants to the scheme are deemed as successful in full.

Immigration Enforcement Competent Authority: Training

Lord McColl of Dulwich: To ask Her Majesty's Government, furtherto the Written Answer byBaroness Williams of Trafford on 23 November 2020 (HL10081), what training will be given to decision makers in the Immigration Enforcement Competent Authority; and how this will differ from training for decision makers in the Single Competent Authority.

Lord McColl of Dulwich: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many Home Office (1) staff, and (2) agency staff, are employed (a) full-time, and (b) part-time, to make decisions on trafficking and modern slavery within the (i) Single Competent Authority, and (ii) Immigration Enforcement Competent Authority.

Lord McColl of Dulwich: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was theaverage length of time for a confirmed victim of modern slavery to receive (1) an initial Recovery Needs Assessment Plan, and (2) a decision on a subsequent Recovery Needs Assessment request for ongoing support, between 27 September 2019 and 31 July 2021.

Lord McColl of Dulwich: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the average length of support (1) requested under an initial Recovery Needs Assessment (RNA) made after a positive conclusive grounds decision, (2) provided (a) under initial RNAs after a positive conclusive grounds decision, and (b) beyond the 45 days post-NRM move on support, (3) requested in subsequent RNAs following an initial RNA, and (4) provided in subsequent RNAs following an initial RNA, between 27 September 2019 and 31 July 2021.

Lord McColl of Dulwich: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to footnote 42 of the 2021 UK Annual Report on Modern Slavery, published on 25 November, when they will publish the Single Competent Authority data on recovery needs assessments.

Lord McColl of Dulwich: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to publish an evaluation of the recovery needs assessment for confirmed victims of modern slavery.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The National Referral Mechanism (NRM) is the UK’s system for identifying and providing access to support for potential victims of modern slavery.Potential victims have their individual support needs assessed on entry to the NRM and through contact with their support worker. The Recovery Needs Assessment (RNA) is conducted after a positive Conclusive Grounds (CG) decision.The RNA enables support workers to consider whether a victim has any ongoing recovery needs arising from their modern slavery experience.The information requested on RNA data does not currently form part of the published NRM statistics. The Home Office publishes quarterly statistics regarding the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) which can be found at gov.uk.The 2021 UK Annual Report on Modern Slavery has recently been published and contains an overview of key RNA trends for the year up to 31 July 2021. This report can also be found on gov.uk. The RNA process is kept under continual internal review. Our approach to victim support will be considered further as part of the 2014 Modern Slavery Strategy review which will be published next year.There are 251.75 FTE decision makers working in the Single Competent Authority. There are 26.26 decision makers working within the Immigration Enforcement Competent Authority. Both Competent Authorities carry a number of vacancies being filled through recruitment activity.All decision makers across both Competent Authorities will receive consistent training on NRM decisions, Modern Slavery Discretionary leave decisions (as relevant) and on current statutory guidance. All decision makers will be held to the same standards across the Home Office.

Undocumented Migrants: Biometrics

Lord Marlesford: To ask Her Majesty's Government what biometric details are taken from irregular migrants who arrive in the UK from France by boat; whether such details are taken from all irregular migrants arriving from France by boat; and whether it is possible for the UK immigration authorities to compare these details with records held by EU member states.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: People arriving by small boats across the Channel are subject to stringent checks on arrival in the UK and again as they are processed into the asylum system.Immediately on arrival, initial identity checks are undertaken for all individuals over the age of five, based on the name given and fingerprints are checked against immigration and Police criminal databases.Once triaged and moved to appropriate accommodation, arrivals will be subject to additional checks as part of the asylum intake process. This will include identity and biometric enrolment based on fingerprints taken, with details checked against law enforcement, immigration, Police and security databases. There may be some individual cases where these checks are not conducted. It is not possible to check these details against the EU systems to which the UK has access under the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement because use of those systems is only permitted for law enforcement, not immigration purposes.

Immigration: EU Nationals

Lord Green of Deddington: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many EU citizens have been granted settled status since the introduction of the EU Settlement Scheme; how many who have been granted pre-settled status will qualify to apply for settled status in each calendar year from 2022 to 2026; and what proportion of applications for settled status from pre-settled status have been granted in the last 12 months.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The Home Office publishes data on the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) in the 'EU Settlement Scheme Statistics', which can be found on gov.uk.The latest published information on EUSS applications concluded to 30 September 2021, can be found in tables EUSS_03_UK: (EU Settlement Scheme: concluded applications by outcome type and nationality - UK total) and EUSS_MON, Table 5: (EU Settlement Scheme – Repeat applicants moving from Pre-settled to Settled status), in the Annex. A person granted pre-settled status under the EUSS can apply for settled status as soon as they qualify for this. Applicants who have completed five years’ continuous residence, or where other criteria for settled status without that length of continuous residence are met, are eligible for settled status. The Home Office cannot assess a person’s eligibility for settled status until they make an application to the EUSS, and therefore cannot state how many of those granted pre-settled status or who are yet to apply to the scheme will be eligible for settled status in the period sought.Annex (xlsx, 105.2KB)

Islamic State: British Nationals Abroad

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many British citizens who travelled to (1) Iraq, or (2) Syria, to join Islamic State have since returned to the UK; how many such individuals are being monitored by the security services; how often are their social media posts monitored; and how many have been prosecuted.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: Since 2013 over 900 UK-linked individuals of national security concern have travelled to engage with the Syrian conflict, against the advice of the Foreign Office. Of these, approximately 25% have been killed in the conflict and just under half have returned to the UK. All of those who have returned have been investigated and the majority have been assessed to pose no, or a low, security risk. As of 2018 there had been around 40 convictions of individuals prosecuted following their return from Syria, for a range of offences either connected to their activities overseas or as a result of subsequent Counter-Terrorism investigations. It would not be appropriate to comment on ongoing operational activity by the Security Service.

Immigration Controls: Biometrics

Lord Moylan: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking, if any, to rectify issues with British passport holders whose passports are faulty and cannot be read at e-gates upon arrival at UK airports.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The British passport’s electronic chip has been extensively tested to ensure its durability throughout the lifetime of the passport. Additionally, each passport’s electronic chip is assessed as part of the personalisation process.A passport chip inspection may fail at the Border for several reasons. If a fault is identified with an electronic chip that was assessed to have been present when the passport was issued, then it will be replaced at no additional cost.

UK Border Force: Public Appointments

Lord Naseby: To ask Her Majesty's Government why the post of director general ofBorder Force and Immigration Enforcement continues to be vacant.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: We are in the process of recruitment for a new joint Borders and Enforcement Director General.In the interim we have appointed two temporary Director Generals for Border Force and Immigration Enforcement.

Cabinet Office

Marriage: Religion

Baroness Cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord True on 30 November (HL4074), what estimate they have made of the number of British citizens currently united in religious marriages that have (1) not taken place at registered premises, or (2) been recorded as civil marriages.

Lord True: The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. I have, therefore, asked the Authority to respond. Professor Sir Ian Diamond | National Statistician10 December 2021As National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority, I am responding to your Parliamentary Question asking, further to the Written Answer by Lord True on 30 November (HL4074), what estimate has been made of the number of British citizens currently united in religious marriages that have (1) not taken place at registered premises, or (2) been recorded as civil marriages (HL4637).The Office for National Statistics (ONS) is responsible for publishing marriage statistics for England and Wales. The most recent year for which marriage statistics are available is for 2018 [1]. National Records Scotland (NRS) and Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) are responsible for publishing marriage statistics for marriages registered in Scotland and Northern Ireland respectively.Information about the nationality of individuals is not collected during the marriage registration process. Some information about the nationality of individuals is reported to the General Register Office (GRO) at the marriage notification stage. This information is not provided to the ONS as we only receive marriage registrations data from GRO.An annual breakdown of the number of religious marriages and civil marriages which took place in England and Wales is available. It is not possible to determine from marriage registrations data if some religious marriages took place at unregistered premises as this information is not recorded during the registration process. It is also not possible to determine how many civil marriages may have been undertaken in accordance with the rites and ceremonies of certain religious denominations prior to having a civil ceremony.Table 1 provides the total number of religious marriages and civil religious registered in England and Wales for each year for the period 2008 to 2018.Yours sincerely,Professor Sir Ian Diamond1 https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/marriagecohabitationandcivilpartnerships/datasets/marriagesinenglandandwales2013USKA letter (pdf, 111.1KB)

Treasury

Capital Gains Tax

Lord Lee of Trafford: To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the letter on behalf of the Chancellor to the Office of Tax Simplification on 30 November, what plans they have, if any (1)to increase capital gains tax rates, (2) to align capital gains tax rates with income tax, or (3) to reduce the annual capital gains tax allowance.

Lord Agnew of Oulton: As set out in the Government’s response to the Office of Tax Simplification's report on Capital Gains Tax on 30 November 2021, such reforms would involve a number of wider policy trade-offs and so careful thought must be given to the impact that they would have on taxpayers, as well as any additional administrative burden on HMRC. The Government will continue to keep the tax system under constant review to ensure it is simple and efficient.

Ferries: Taxation

Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much taxation revenue was collected from each of the three cross-Solent ferry operators in each of the last five years.

Lord Agnew of Oulton: HMRC is bound by a strict duty of confidentiality, as laid down in the Commissioners for Revenue & Customs Act 2005, with respect to all the information it holds. Therefore, HMRC is unable to provide identifiable customer information in connection with its functions.

Banks: Inquiries

Lord Sikka: To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the European Commission’s €344 million fine on UBS, Barclays, RBS, HSBC and Credit Suisse on 2 December for operating a foreign exchange cartel,what plans they have to appoint an independent inquiry into the operations of the UK arms of these banks.

Lord Agnew of Oulton: The UK’s independent financial services regulator, the FCA, investigated misconduct in the foreign exchange markets and fined six firms (Citibank, HSBC, JP Morgan, RBS, UBS, and Barclays) a total of £1.4 billion in 2014 and 2015 for failures of systems to control trading practices. Alongside this, the European Commission opened a competition investigation in 2013, into the same issue, including covering any harm within the UK. In accordance with the EU-UK Withdrawal Agreement, the EU has continued to be responsible for the case, because it was initiated before the end of the transition period. The EU shall reimburse the UK for its share of the amount of the fine once the fine has become definitive.

Developing Countries: Debts

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of rising levels of debt in low income countries; and what steps they are taking to help low income countries manage their foreign debt.

Lord Agnew of Oulton: The UK recognises the significant debt vulnerabilities faced by many low-income countries, exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic. That is why support for low-income countries, including on debt, has been a key priority for the UK’s G7 Presidency this year and something we have worked closely on with our international partners in the G20. To deal with immediate debt vulnerabilities, the UK, alongside our G20 and Paris Club partners, agreed the Common Framework for Debt Treatments beyond the Debt Service Suspension Initiative. This brings together, for the first time, G20 and Paris Club creditors to coordinate on debt treatments for 73 low-income countries. Under the Common Framework, private creditors will be required to implement debt treatments on at least as favourable terms as those agreed by official creditors.The UK is also at the forefront of G7 initiatives on debt transparency, which is a key part of ensuring longer-term debt sustainability. We have improved our own practices by publishing detailed loan-by-loan information of new lending, a position which was also adopted by the G7 in June 2021.

Vacancies: Productivity

Lord Patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment, if any, they have made of the relationship between labour shortages in the UK and levels of economic productivity.

Lord Agnew of Oulton: Labour shortages are a global issue with increases in vacancy levels across advanced economies. In the UK, there are now over 360,000 more vacancies than prior to the pandemic (three months to October 2021 compared to three months to February 2020). The long-term effects of the pandemic, including current labour shortages, on productivity levels are highly uncertain. The government has implemented polices that aim to reduce long-term economic scarring by protecting jobs and livelihoods. In their most recent forecast the OBR revised down their estimate of long-term scarring from the pandemic. The OBR noted that ”Government schemes to sustain viable jobs and support household incomes through the pandemic have proved remarkably successful.”

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Olympic Games: Beijing

Lord Risby: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with Team GB about reconsidering participation in the 2022 Winter Olympic games in Beijing.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: Although the Government does not support sporting boycotts, athlete participation in the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games is a decision for the British Olympic and British Paralympic Associations, who operate independently of the Government.